1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical power supply comprising an air turbine driven generator, rectifier and filter, DC-DC converter and a controller. The source of air for the air turbine is a railcar brake pipe. The controller controls the volume of air used to drive the turbine in response to changes in the required output voltage of the rectifier and filter.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to provide an EOT (end-of-train) electrical power supply using air flow provided from the brake pipe which is a pressurized pipe that runs the length of the train consist for controlling and applying the brakes along the train consist. Such power supplies are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,473 entitled “Self Powered End of Train Unit” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,236,185 entitled “Compressed Air Power Supply/Rechargeable Battery Pack.” It is also known to increase the amount of air supplied from multiple independent storage tanks for air under pressure to an air turbine that drives a generator when increased power is desired as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,454 entitled “Compressed Air Engine System and Method for Generating Electrical Energy From the Controlled Release of Compressed Air.”